The Jamora Phenomena (Or why green is in)
When Larry Jamora tossed his hat into the political arena to run for city mayor, very few gave him a fighting chance. Today, Jamora is riding on the crest of an elusive bandwagon and the very same doubters and skeptics are cheering him on to victory.
Jamora’s sudden surge into the forefront of the mayoralty race after months of toiling under the shadows of his more popular and politically entrenched opponents has surprised many but is not totally unexpected.
Several factors have combined to produce the Jamora phenomena:
Name recall vs. a real campaign: Jamora languished in the surveys due to lack of name recall. He spent the past seven years in the national capital as head of relatively unknown government agencies while his opponents were constantly in the news. Jamora made up for lost time with a punishing schedule of meetings, barangay visits, and, ultimately, house to house forays which his opponents did not even attempt to match. While one candidate gloated on the basis of truncated surveys, Jamora became a tireless campaigner leaving even his fellow candidates in the dust of his determined stride.
The call for change: When Jamora officially announced his mayoralty bid, he also unveiled a comprehensive and well-conceived program of government anchored on a call for change. The platform – which is visionary yet specific and time-bound – was unmatched by his opponents although they did try to copy some of it. The platform elevated Jamora’s campaign to a much higher level, thus attracting the intelligent and open minded. Another phenomenon is the joining of hands of the business sector and the urban poor – both seen to benefit from the immediately ‘do-ables’ in Jamora’s platform.
The cream rises to the top. The forums and debates – unprecedented in number in previous elections – gave further opportunities for Jamora to emerge as the best candidate. While Jamora stood out with a clear articulation of his vision, Mabilog’s lack of knowledge in governance was exposed as well as Raul Gonzalez’s physical frailty. Since the debates were held at the various schools and universities, the studentry were also turned on to Jamora’s vision and evident capability.
A religious vote. Political pundits say there is no religious vote other than the Iglesia ni Kristo which votes as a block. Thus, a religious vote for Jamora has become another phenomenon. Devout Catholics (the Knights of Columbus, Singles and Couples for Christ, Barangay sang Virgen, Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals), pastors and ministers of the various protestant denominations, even the Muslim community are virtually unanimous in their open support for Jamora recognizing the genuineness of his convictions and intentions. It need not be emphasized that Jamora is a devout church-goer and a dedicated family man.
Transport Sector. There is no such thing as a transport sector vote, yet tricycle drivers, trisikad drivers, even taxi and jeepney drivers are closing ranks in their support for Jamora. This is largely because of their longing for a change in the current administration which was seen to oppress the drivers through excessive fees and irrational policies. They expect Jamora to deliver that change in their favor.
Youth infuse creative campaign. Youth volunteers, enjoying the summer break, infused fresh blood into the Jamora campaign with their tireless energy and boundless enthusiasm. They came out in full force to campaign for Jamora in the barangays and invaded public places such as malls, plazas, and markets enthralling crowds with vigorous song and dance numbers to the tune of a Jamora disco-jingle. The creative campaign style also lured youth leaders from the other camps to join the Katropa ni Larry group.
The Bandwagon. It is difficult to say exactly when the Jamora bandwagon materialized and began to roll. Everybody just felt it happening and, suddenly, everyone wanted to hop in for the ride. Thus began the exodus of leaders from the Treñas-Mabilog and Gonzalez camps towards Jamora. From the Punong Barangays to precint leaders, they are now all knocking on Jamora’s doors and windows.
Creating a bandwagon is every candidate’s and campaign manager’s ultimate objective because it is the key to success at the polls. But, there is no surefire formula for creating a bandwagon. It cannot be bought, it is not a product of propaganda. Like all other phenomena, it just occurs — unexpectedly and unexplainably. Further, the bandwagon materializes for only one candidate and, once it gains momentum, it is impossible to stop. Hence, the Mabilog camp’s supreme effort conjure their own bandwagon by assassinating Jamora’s character with all sorts of imagined and invented accusations have all gone for naught. The bandwagon cannot be countered by black propaganda or smear campaign.
Critical Mass. In simple terms, the Jamora phenomena is a combination of all of the above factors and a few unseen ones reaching critical mass at the right moment for Larry Jamora, soon to be mayor of Iloilo City.
